Soft-collar stiffener



No'v. 2,1926. 1,6(T5T585 W. HOFFENBERG SOFT COLLAR STIFFENER v Filed May 11. 1926 IN V EN TOR.

W 6 77 ,5 BY 772% M ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 2, 1926.

UNITED STATES 'woLr HOFFENBERG, or oAxLANi), cALIFonNfA.

PATENT OFFICE.

SOFT-COLLAR STIFIEENEB.

Application filed May 11,

, .madeto 'kee the points of the collars from selection of different types of soft collars curlin or uckling and especially those 7 of col are having long points. It is a common experience with men to find from a that most of them when worn have a tendency or will turn and curl at the points to a more or less degree, and one soon learns his favorite type that fits his neck form best and which turns or curls the least.

that will Many men wear soft collars as a matter of economy in laundering as the collars can be done up at home, and many more would like I lar a 'ttle more.

One object of my invention is to provide a flexible stiffener for collars of the above character that'will give them the appearance of a stiff collar somewhat, and yet yield sufiicientlyto give one the comfort of the soft collar.

Another object in view is to make it pos sible for one to wear as many different types of collars as suits his fancy, as the proper stiffener for each collar can also be selected revent wrinkling and curling, hence the astidious dresser may wear the whole. range of different types of collars if he so chooses.

Another object is to provide ventilating means in the stiffener for cooling effect as this feature willbe desired in the warmer gplilmtries where collars have a tendency to t. W A further object is the provision of simple means on the stiffener and the collar whereby the stiffener can be easily inserted in the collar for secure retention thereto, and by simple manipulation may be removed from the collar.

A still further object is to provide a stifi'ener for onl theregion of the points of the collar, and yet employ thefeatures of the parentidea of the invention.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention will be fully set forth and described with reference to the accompanying drawingaand in which:

1926. Serial No. 108,219.

Figure 1 isan ex'pandedview of the inside of one type of soft collar and having my invention applied thereto;-

Fig. 2 is a view of the stiffener removed 1 from the collar;

Fig. 3 is a front view of a part of the collar and stiffener in service. A portion of a collar point has been torn" away to show the point of the stiffener seated in position.

Fig. 4 is an expanded view similar to Fig. 1 but only of a part of a collar. A modification of my invention is applied to the region of the po nt of the collar; and

Fig. 5' is a view of the modification removed from the collar of Fig. 4.

' The numeral 6 indicates one type of soft collar. for 'mens shirts, and it comprises the I customary cloth button-holed collar band 7 \and cloth collar portion 8. The latter has the usual hem 9 on the inside which forms the border that gives the collar its shape and finish. 10' and 11 indicate the respective pointsof the collar, and in the region thereof cloth linings 12 and 13 are inserted between the hem and collar portion and stitched therewith, and thus triangularshaped pockets 14 and 15 are formed on the inside of the collar, the bottom of the pockets being the stitching 16.

Substant ally midway between the points of the collar and on the inside thereof, a third pocket'17 is formed by the stitching 18. Part of the stitching is omitted at the top edge of the hem to form the opening 19 for the pocket.

The stiffening member for the-collar is the element 20, preferably consisting of a strip of celluloid of suitable gage and shape the degree of transverse flexibility at the points. In some cases I may wish to employ perforations 24 throughout the stifiener for ventilation purposes, as this is an advantageous feature for the warmer countries as it will minimize wilting.

A tab 25 of thin metal or other suitable 7 'Exten'sions in the form of a short tongue 27 and a long tongue 28 are an integral part of the tab, and are spaced from the bottom edge of the stiffener and substantially parallel thereto. The tab is for the purpose of engaging the central pocket 17 in holding relation, and the entrance width of the pocket is greater than the width of the tab plus the length of the short tongue 27 and less than the width of the tab plus the length of the long tongue 28.

The attachment of the stiffener to my improved collar is as follows: The long tongue 28 is inserted tiltingly in the central pocket 17 until the adjacent tab edge 29 abuts the pocket edge 30, then the tab and short tongue 27 are oriented about the latter edge and into the pocket, and then the stiffener is slid until the opposite tab edge abuts the opposite edge of the pocket as shown in Fig. 1. This then centrally positions the stifiener within the collar and the tab cannot be lifted out of its pocket because of the long tongue overlapp ng the entrance of the pocket as also shown. The next step is the insertion of each of the stiffener points 10' and 11 in their respective pockets and the turning down of the collar band 7.

The modified form of the invention shown in Figs. a and 5 consists of a pair of stilleners, only one of which is shown, but the pocket structures are identical with the parent structures. 20' is one of the stiifening elements and 25' its tab, and 14: is the pocket for the stifi'ener point and 17' the pocket for the tab.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings. the advantages of the construction and method of operation will be readily understood by those skilled in the art to which the invention appertains, and while I have described the principle of operation, togeth er with the device which I now consider to be the best embodiment thereof, I desire to have it understood that the device shown is merely illustrative and that such changes may be made, when desired, as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, the following: i

1. A stiffener for mens soft collars consisting of a relatively long member compared to its width, and having a holding tab attached to its bottom edge, said tab comprising a shank having opposed tongues of unequal length extending therefrom and spaced from the bottom edge of said stiffener.

2. In combination with a soft collar of the character described having inside pockets at the points thereof and an inside pocket at its bottom edge, a stiffening member having a point of similar shape to that of the collar points and having a holding tab attached to its bottom edge, said tab comprising a shank having opposed tongues of unequal length extending therefrom and spaced from the bottom edge of said stiffener, the said tab and point of the member adapted to be inserted respectively in said pockets of the collar for the retention of the member in the collar.

3. A stiffener for mens soft collars consisting of a relatively long member compared to its width and having a shape substantially similar to that of the normally exposed portion of the collar, and having a holding tab attached substantially centrally to its bottom edge, the said tab provided with opposed tongues spaced from said edge and extending substantially parallel thereto, and one of said tongues being longer than the other.

4. In combination with a soft collar of the character described having inside pockets at the points thereof and a central inside pocket at its bottom edge, a stiffening memer having points of similar shape to that of the collar points and having a holding tab centrally attached to its bottom edge, said tab comprising a shank having opposed tongues of unequal length extending therefrom and spaced @from the bottom edge of said stifi'ener, the said tab and points of the member adapted to be inserted respectively in the said pockets of the collar for the retention of the member in the collar.

5. ,In combination with a soft collar of the character described havinginside pockets at the points thereof and a central inside pocket at its bottom edge, a stiffening mem ber having points of similar shape to that of the collar points and having a holding tab centrally attached to its bottom edge, the said tab and points of the member adapted to be inserted respectively in the said pockets of the collar for the retention of the member in the collar; the said tab consisting of a shank having opposed tongues of unequal length extending therefrom and the tongues being spaced from the bottom edge and extending substantially parallel thereto, the entrance width to the central pocket being greater than the width of the shank plus the length of the short tongue, and less than the width of the shank plus the length of the long tongue, so as to admit the shank and short tongue and allow the member to be slid to the locking position whereby the tongues prevent the member 

